The first day was spent shooting the grand entrance of
the charioteers, the grand march of the chariots and teams around the track and
up to the starting line. This was
accomplished with a very simple trick. I had special effects take some small,
flexible cable and make checks about three feet long with small metal snaps in
each end. These were snapped on the bit
of the outside horse of each team to the bit of the horse on the team next to
it. This made the entire ten teams
function as one team. The effect on the
screen was great.
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Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Ben Hur Chariot Race #2
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5 comments:
Most of you already know that, by double-clicking on the image, you will get an enlargement of the image that makes it easier to see all the details.
Wasn't someone in this race actually killed during the filming?
PAUL: Not during the '59 picture. All the sources recounting the filming agree that the closest brush with death came to Yak's son, Joe Canutt, when doubling for Heston. After a collision, Joe tumbled out of the chariot and was dragged. He sustained a bad cut on his chin, but no threatening injuries. His struggle to get back in the speeding chariot was so good it was left in the release print, and Heston re-shot the scene to match Canutt's regaining control. Shots seeming to include fatalities were realistic, but were achieved with dummies. In the 1925 original, however, shooting in Rome, a stuntman doubling for Francis X. Bushman's Messala did die filming the chariot race.
According to Yak, no horses or drivers were killed or seriously injured while filming the race.
Roger, Eric,
Thank You very much.
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